3 ms·

If you are being paid $20k a year more than elsewhere, after tax perhaps that equates to ~12-16k a year. You'd therefore be able to afford between 1-1.5k a mont

If you are being paid $20k a year more than elsewhere, after tax perhaps that equates to ~12-16k a year. You'd therefore be able to afford between 1-1.5k a month more in expenses than earning the comparable salary offered elsewhere. I'd suggest that in SF that you maybe, just maybe break even (renting that is), but more than likely you are worse off financially. However, SF will more than likely be a better place for career growth and opportunity. You shouldn't undervalue that, especially at the beginning of your career. As far as buying a house goes, depends on what kind of commute you can tolerate and how much downpayment you have. I think you'd struggle to be comfortable on anything less than $200k.

Retric 9y ago
Even if your after tax cash flow is similar Social Security befits from higher salaries. Another consideration is there are larger benefits to downgrading your lifestyle. Living in a Tiny studio apartment in SF or even having roommates frees up a lot more cash than it does in most places. Going without a car in NYC is a minimal sacrifice for significant rewards.
- deleted 9y ago
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dsfyu404ed 9y ago
>However, SF will more than likely be a better place for career growth and opportunity. You shouldn't undervalue that, especially at the beginning of your career. Unless you plan to spend your entire career there having your the vast majority professional network is a bad thing because it means it's much harder to cut and run. If you don't cut and run you wind up with a wife, kids, a stupidly overpriced house in the suburbs, etc.
- monkeynotes 9y ago
  Every life is different, I have friends who had children in SF and left to find good jobs and houses elsewhere, it's more than possible. All I'd suggest is just going in with your eyes open, and your point is definitely one worth considering when evaluating moving to SF.
- dagw 9y ago
  A lot of people who start in SF probably end up somewhere else a decade or so down the line due to the reasons you mention. So even if your network starts out being purely SF based, in a few years those people (and thus your network) will probably end up being spread over a much wider area.

Retric 9y ago

Even if your after tax cash flow is similar Social Security befits from higher salaries. Another consideration is there are larger benefits to downgrading your lifestyle. Living in a Tiny studio apartment in SF or even having roommates frees up a lot more cash than it does in most places. Going without a car in NYC is a minimal sacrifice for significant rewards.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

dsfyu404ed 9y ago

>However, SF will more than likely be a better place for career growth and opportunity. You shouldn't undervalue that, especially at the beginning of your career. Unless you plan to spend your entire career there having your the vast majority professional network is a bad thing because it means it's much harder to cut and run. If you don't cut and run you wind up with a wife, kids, a stupidly overpriced house in the suburbs, etc.

monkeynotes 9y ago
Every life is different, I have friends who had children in SF and left to find good jobs and houses elsewhere, it's more than possible. All I'd suggest is just going in with your eyes open, and your point is definitely one worth considering when evaluating moving to SF.
dagw 9y ago
A lot of people who start in SF probably end up somewhere else a decade or so down the line due to the reasons you mention. So even if your network starts out being purely SF based, in a few years those people (and thus your network) will probably end up being spread over a much wider area.